Promotional CD provided.
Welcome to a special holiday edition of Top Ten With…, a fun Q&A session where you’ll get to learn all about the music scene’s hottest artists! Our next Gift Guide Featured Artist is Allegra Levy. Named a Top 10 Rising Star Jazz Vocalist in DownBeat’s 2021 Critics’ Poll, she just released her first album for children and families, Songs for You and Me. Her goal is to create children’s songs that value diversity, equity, and inclusion. Get to know Allegra through our exclusive interview!
I’m inspired by:
My daughter (every day!), my husband’s cooking, well-written lyrics in a song, seeing broadway musicals, impressionist paintings, and seeing a good rom-com in theaters.
I realized I wanted to play music when:
I was about 6 years old and I saw my local high school’s Pops N’ Jazz performance. There was a soloist singing “Cry me a River” with a big band in a sparkly dress with a spotlight, and it just really moved me. From then on I was obsessed with singing and I specifically was drawn to jazz and musical theater.
Four songs you might find on my personal playlist:
S’wonderful/They Can’t Take That Away From Me- Anita O’Day and Oscar Peterson Quartet, Poinciana- Ahmad Jamal Trio Live at Pershing Square, and if my daughter is in the car, probably Bananaphone- by Raffi, and Old MacDonald- Ella Fitzgerald.
One word I would use to describe myself:
Friendly!
The best part of being a musician is:
It’s definitely the matching jumpsuits (if I could only get my band to do that…) Getting to connect with others either collaborating with musicians or with audiences, and making other people smile.
Right now, I’m most excited about:
Recording my 5th jazz album on December 6th (for grown ups!), and then getting back into the studio to record a new kid’s song about musical instruments called “Bongos!”
Something most people don’t know about me is:
I love to bake pie and cookies and at one point wanted to start a pie and jazz cafe. I also used to run my own little cookie business with my mom when I was 11 called “Cookies for a Cause” where I baked and decorated cookies for people’s parties and gave the proceeds to a charity. The charity was called “Gifts of Music” and helped get music lessons to kids in my town who couldn’t afford them.
One of my happiest moments was:
Dancing with my daughter in her first dance recital (at 2, she already had the moves!)- or dancing with her anytime, especially when no one is watching.
My music is:
Catchy and jazzy! A Kid’s Swing-a-long!
In ten years, I see myself:
Performing jazz for kids and adults around the world! Or, maybe I’ll start that pie & jazz Cafe…
Songs for You and Me is available to purchase on Amazon now for $9.49.
